Church to celebrate 100th anniversary
Sansom Chapel United Methodist Church in Farmington welcomes Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton as the keynote speaker on Sunday, Aug. 28, as the church observes its 100-year anniversary celebration. Bickerton will speak at the 10 a.m. worship service for the celebration, which commemorates the 100-year anniversary of the church, located at the corner of Route 40 and Marker Road.
The Rev. Frank Sherman, district superintendent, will also appear at the 10 a.m. service and be the speaker for an informal afternoon service at 1:30. The Rev. Terry Collins, pastor, will welcome Bickerton and Sherman. The Marker Family will provide special music at both services.
A catered luncheon will be served at noon. Reservations for the luncheon must be made by Saturday by calling Lois Ann Myers at 724-329-5219 or Sis Show at 724-329-4902.
Weather permitting, the meal and afternoon service will be held outdoors.
Arlene Glenn and Carol Friend of the anniversary committee said the congregation is excited about the anniversary celebration.
“We heard from some of our former pastors and they’re coming to visit,’ said Friend.
“We have memorabilia loaned to us to make a display, down to little chairs and lights that hung in the ceiling,’ said Glenn. “To us, it’s very exciting.’
Bickerton, according to his biography, became spiritual leader of the approximately 900 United Methodist congregations in Western Pennsylvania on Sept. 1, 2004.
A native of Moundsville, W.Va., Bickerton was one of six new bishops elected last year to the church’s Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference in Syracuse, N.Y. At age 46, he is the youngest bishop in the United Methodist Church.
In West Virginia, Bickerton served a six-point charge as a student pastor. After ordination, he was appointed pastor of a Shady Spring congregation, which grew from 85 to 225 members in the six years he served there. In 1989, he was appointed senior pastor of then 585-member Forrest Burdette Memorial United Methodist Church in Hurricane. By the time he was named district superintendent of West Virginia’s Northern District in 1998, the Forrest Burdette church had grown to 1,368 members.
The bishop has been a delegate to the last three General Conferences of the United Methodist Church and a Jurisdictional Conference delegate every four years since 1988. He served on the General Commission on the United Methodist Communications, and previously sat on the Church’s General Commission on Archives and History and the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women.
Bickerton said his life and ministry have been shaped significantly through involvement in a number of Volunteer in Mission experiences “that have taken me into the mission field and given me opportunity to gain a global perspective in ministry.’ He has joined work teams to aid flood victims in his home state as well as people in need in Mexico and Argentina. He has also traveled with groups to Africa, Israel and Egypt.
A 1980 graduate of West Virginia Wesleyan College with a degree in psychology and sociology, Bickerton earned his master of divinity degree at Duke Divinity School and his doctor of ministry at United Theological School where he serves as an adjunct faculty member teaching Wesleyan doctrine and church polity.
The bishop and his wife, Sally, are parents of Liz, 20; T.J., 18; Ian, 10; and Nick, 9.
While Sansom Chapel is celebrating its 100th anniversary, the congregation can trace its roots back to 1841 when the congregation began meeting at the Potter School in Farmington.
According to a church history, the Rev. David Hess was one of the first ministers to serve the church, holding worship services in various places in Wharton Township. In the late fall of 1855, the Rev. Eaton from Petersburg (now Addison) held a meeting near the Smith School on Route 40, Farmington, and organized under the name of Sansom Chapel.
“The first church was built in 1857 along the National Road (Route 40) one-half mile east of the Smith School,’ the history reported. “The structure was made of brick, which was burned in the brick kiln on the Shartzer farm. The kiln was across from where the house now stands. Andy Warble laid all the brick for the church building. Rev. Cooper was the first minister of this church.
“…This church burned to the ground in 1898 and the Smith School was used for services until 1905 when the present church was built on the south side of Route 40 about a half mile west of the school. The Rev. Rye and Mrs. Call were instrumental in securing Rev. Richards from Philadelphia of the Christian Alliance Conference to dedicate the present church. The church was so named for the Rev. Sansom who was called ‘The sweet singer of the Conference.”
The history explained that much renovating has been done in recent years: “The basement was hand excavated and made into three classrooms, which are presently used for primary classes of Sunday School. The inside walls of the sanctuary have been paneled and new stained glass windows were added. Wall-to-wall carpeting and a new organ were added to the Worship Center. In 1971, the outside of the church was fully redone with white aluminum siding and later a new concrete walkway and a larger parking area added. A new oil furnace was installed during the winter of 1976. In 1980, the fellowship hall, kitchen and restrooms were added. In 1994, the roof was replaced on the sanctuary followed in 1995 by a new gas furnace and a public address system. In 2002, air conditioning was added along with the re-siding of the main church building. In 2003, new carpet and tile work was completed in the fellowship hall. In 2004, the library was started. Most recently in 2005, the fellowship hall roof was replaced along with the installation of a flagpole. Other improvements that have taken place over the years include a handicap ramp and railing along the outdoor walkway as well as cementing of the pavilion floor and addition of a basketball court.’
Today, the congregation includes approximately 75 members.
Sunday worship is at 9:45 a.m., followed by Sunday school at 11 a.m.
The 100th anniversary committee members include: Glenn, Friend, Rich and Arlene Cleaver, Wanda Evangelista, Joanne Hager, Holly Fischer and the Rev. Terry Collins.